Mustangs battle Spartans for title

Wyomissing held its opponents scoreless in the first two rounds of the Berks Girls Soccer League playoffs.

Gov. Mifflin gave up the initial goal in the quarterfinals and semifinals, only to surge back for impressive victories.

Knowing that, it's easy to see why the Berks IV champion Spartans (14-3-1) and the Berks I champ Mustangs (14-4) are here: Both are playing with skill and confidence heading into their biggest game. They'll compete for the league title tonight at 7 at Twin Valley.

"No one expected us to be in the final - a little Division IV school," Wyomissing coach Chris Rada said. "They're playing their hearts out every game."

Each squad has responded to challenges in its own way.

Mifflin had to climb back from a first-half deficit in its playoff games. The Mustangs scored three goals in a five-minute span of the second half to beat Kutztown 4-1 and then scored twice after halftime to beat Fleetwood 2-1.

"That was a gutsy effort," Mifflin coach Ed Deren Jr. said.

Mifflin junior Emma Blair, who assisted Emily Gingrich on both semifinal goals, said it's as simple as trusting her teammates.

"I just knew we had to work hard and we needed to want it," Blair said. "I have confidence in the team to always bring us back."

Wyomissing, meanwhile, had to play teams on extended winning streaks in the first two rounds. The Spartans used an overtime goal to beat Wilson (which had won 10 consecutive games) and then scored with less than three minutes left to knock off Conrad Weiser (which had won nine in a row).

Sophomore Brinn McClennan, who has nine goals and four assists in league play, scored both playoff goals and is one of four Wyomissing players among the league's top 12 scorers. Corbin Weaver (15 goals, six assists), Jessica Ertel (13 goals, eight assists) and Brennan Moyer (seven goals, eight assists) are the others.

Mifflin will counter with its own big three: Gingrich has 18 goals and five assists in league play; Lauren Pietrowski has six goals and eight assists; and Blair has five goals and nine assists.

"I've seen Mifflin, and I know a lot of their players," McClennan said. "Mifflin's center midfielders, they're all very strong players and technically amazing."

The Mustangs are trying to win their second consecutive Berks title; Mifflin defeated Daniel Boone 4-3 in overtime in 2010. Wilson, which earned back-to-back titles in 2001 and '02, was the last repeat winner.

Wyomissing won championships in 1996 and 2004 and lost to Conrad Weiser in the 2005 final.

Mifflin and Wyomissing haven't played each other since the 2010 quarterfinals, when the Mustangs prevailed 4-1.

"We know the depth and skill they have on that team," Rada said. "We feel on any given night, we can play with anybody."